Fuel distributing system



Feb. 6, 1934. J. H. ICHTER FUEL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM F1166 Nov. 6, 1930 2Sheets-Sheet, 1

lnl lnl ull 11 .INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 6, 1934. ICHTER 1,946,443

FUEL DISTRIBUTING SYSTEM Filed Nov; 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

INVENTOR I L f0/zlz 1?. Elder ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 6, 1934 roar.nrs'rarnnrrnc SYSTEM John H. Hchter, Ashley, Pa, assignor to TheStandard Stoker Comp poration of Delaware any, incorporated, a corApplication November 6, 1931). Serial No. 193,762

1 Claims.

This invention relates to fuel distributing mechanism for a stoker andparticularly for locomotive stokers in which fuel is scattered over afirebox in aerial paths.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel fuel distributingsystem in stokers of the type described in which fuel containing aquantity of fines is used, whereby stack loss is reduced to a negligibleamount, and more particularly it is an object to provide in a fueldistributing system, a deflector plate so positioned and arranged withrespect to a distributor plate and means for projecting fuel thereoveras to defiect the upper I strata of fuel downwardly thereby preventingthe fines from being blown over the firebox arch and up the stack. v

It is another object of the invention to provide a novel fueldistributing system having a deflector plate pivotally mounted above thefuel stream and adjustable therein to deflect the upper strata of fueldownwardly whereby a reduction in steam pressure for distributing fuelover the fire is made possible.

Other advantages and objects of the invention will be apparent in thecourse of the description and the invention therefore further consistsin the parts and arrangement of parts as illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal vertical section ofa portion of a locomotive and a stoker therefor showing the invention inplace thereon;

Fig. 1a is a side elevation of a portion of the stoker showingthe-defiector.plate and control mechanism therefor in side elevation;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail view of a portion of Fig. 1 showing thedistributing mechanism;

-Fig. 3 is a section takenon the broken line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the broken line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1a.

The invention is particularly applicable to stokers for use withlocomotives and'for the pur-. pose of best illustrating the invention itwill be so described, but its use is not limited to such application forit is equally applicable to stokers used with other furnaces where likeconditions prevail.

Referring now to the drawings, the locomotive is generally designated at10, its main supporting frame at 11, its firebox at 12, having grates 13and the backhead or rear wall 14 with a firing opening 15 therein. Thefiues 16 project forwardly from the flue sheet 17 at the front end (Cl.110-101) g of'the firebox 12. A smoke arch 18 supported on the customaryarch tubes 19 projects backwardly and upwardly through the firebox 12. Asuitable stoker, indicated as a whole at 20 is provided for conveyingthe fuel from a source of supply and w delivering it to the firingopening 15. The part of the stoker mechanism illustrated comprises ariser conduit 21 which, as is well understood and therefore not shown,is at the forward end of a series of conduit elements leading from asource of fuel supply such as the tender of a locomotive.

The conduit 21 is provided with a detachable hood section 22 which maybe secured to the conduit 21 through thefianges 50 and 51 of the conduitand hood respectively, by suitable fastening means. The hood 2 isprovided with a centrally located door 23 hinged at its upper end, as at24 to the hood and held in closed position by suitable locking meansas'at 25. The upper end of the conduit 21 communicates with the lower 7portion of the firing opening, the upper portion of the opening beingclosed by the customary fire door 26. The fire door and hood section ofthe conduit form a closure for the firing opening and access may be hadto the firebox for hand firing tributor plate and outside of thefirebox. Pressure fluid such as steam is supplied by a desired number ofsupply pipes 30 and issues from the distributor head through the jets 31and across the surface of the distributor plate. The forward sideportions of the plate 27 are provided with the pockets 32, 32a and theJ-sha'ped ribs 33, 33a which intercept a portion of the fuel and directit to the rear corners of the firebox.

There is a tendency in stokers of the scatter feed type to deflect moreor less of the fines in the coal over the firebox arch, since theintensity of the blast necessary to project lump fuel to the forward endof the firebox, is more than is necessary to distribute the fines in thecoal and it is carried into the stack unconsumed. This so-called stackloss constitutes not only an economic loss, but creates a nuisance aswell, since the unconsumed particles of fuel are carried back to thecoaches causing discomfort to passengers. Dust and dirt deposited in thewake of the train cause a further nuisance.

My novel combination of fuel distributing mechanism overcomes thesedisadvantages by so arranging and constructing the parts that the finesin; the coal are deflected down on the fuel bed and consumed withoutinterfering with the normal even distribution of coarse fuel over theflrebed.

For this purpose there is provided a fuel deflecting plate 34 extendingforwardly from a point in the upper portion of the hood section 22through the firing opening and above the distributor plate 27. Thedeflector plate 34 is fixedly mounted on a transverse shaft 35 andarranged to swing or tilt vertically with the shaft as an axis todifferent positions so'that it may be adjusted at any angle from thehorizontal. The top of the deflector plate is provided with the ribs 36to prevent warping. The transverse shaft 35 is mounted in the bearings37 in the sidewalls of the hood section 22 and positioned above the fuelstream, slightly forward of the jets 31 and the normal line of repose ofthe fuel delivered through the conduit 21 permitting unobstructeddischarge of fuel onto the distributor plate. The fuel rises in a coreshaped mass through the riser conduit 21 and at the bend in the upperend thereof the force of gravity causes the core shaped mass to breakand fuel tumbles over the distributor head ontothe distributor plate.The line where this break occurs is termed the normal line of repose ofthe fuel. A notched quadrant 38 is secured by suitable means, as by thebolts 39, to one outside wall of the riser conduit, preferably the sideat which the flreman is stationed. A handle 40 is secured to the shaft35 and is provided with a recess 41 arranged to receive a pin 42 and acoiled spring 43. The pin 42 engages the notches in the quadrant 38 andremains in engagement by the force exerted by the coiled spring 43. Itwill be seen that by moving the handle 40, the shaft 35 is turnedthereby swinging the deflector plate upward or downward depending uponthe direction in which the handle is moved, and the pin and notchedquadrant cooperate to hold the deflector plate in, any desired position.

In operation the fuel is deliveredthrough the riser conduit 21 over thedistributor head 29 onto the distributor plate 27 into the zone ofaction of the pressure fluid blast issuing from the distributor head.The intensity of the blast and the configuration of the plate cooperateto distribute coarse fuel over the entire flrebed area. The fine fuel, aconsiderable amount of which would ordinarily be carried over the archof the firebox by a blast of such intensity, is held and directeddownwardly by the deflector plate 34 preventing the fines from escapingthrough the stack unconsumed.

This improved fuel distributing system also permits the reduction in theamount of steam for projecting the fuel, since the various streams that'ordinarily are projected upward are held down by the deflector plateand help deliver fuel to the flrebed.

Throughout the description and claims it will be understood that theterms front and forwardflas applied to the furnace and stoker are usedwith reference to the direction of fuel delivery i. e., from back tofront.

I claim:

1. In a furnace having a firebox and a firing opening, a fuel conduitcommunicating with the lower portion of said firing opening, adistributor plate mounted in said firing opening for receiving fuel'fromsaid fuel conduit, means at the rear of said plate arranged to projectfuel thereover, laterally curving fuel deflecting abutments on theforward corners thereof for directing fuel to the rear'cornersand sidesof the firebox, a fuel deflecting plate positioned above saiddistributor plate and extending forwardly beyond said fuel projectingmeans, said deflecting plate being mounted at its rearward end in theupper portion of said fuel conduit and arranged toswing vertically aboutsaid rearward end, and means without said conduit for adjusting saiddeflecting plate and securing it in any one of a number of positions.

2. In a furnace having a firebox and a firing opening, a fuel conduitcommunicating with the lower portion of said firing opening, adistributor plate mounted in said firing opening for receiving fuel fromsaid fuel conduit, means thereon for deflecting fuel to all parts ofsaid firebox, means at the rear of said plate for projecting fuelforwardly across said distributor plate, a fuel deflecting platepivotally mounted at its rearward end in said fuel conduit above thefuel path and extending forwardly through said firing opening, and meanswithout the conduit for adjusting said deflecting plate and securing itin any one of a number of positions to deflect the upper strata ofprojected fuel downwardly.

-3. In a-furnace having a firebox and a firing opening, a fuel feedingconduit communicating with the lower portion of said firing opening, afuel distributor plate mounted in said firing opening for receiving fuelfrom said fuel conduit, means thereon for deflecting fuel to all partsof said firebox, means at the rear of said plate for projecting fuelforwardly across said distributor plate, a transverse shaft rotatablymounted in the upper portion of said fuel feeding conduit, a deflectingplate fixedly secured to said shaft and extending forwardly therefromthrough said firing opening and forward of said fuel projecting means,and means cooperating lower portion of said opening, a distributor platepositioned in said opening for receiving fuel from said conduit, adistributor head disposed rearward of the forward end of said plate fordischarging a pressure fluid thereover, a fuel deflecting platepivotally mounted at its rearward end in said fuel conduit above thefuel path and extending forwardly through said firing opening above saiddistributor plate and beyond said distributor head, said deflectingplate having a flat under surface and a ribbed top surface, and meanswithout the conduit for raising and lowering said deflecting plate aboutits pivotally mounted end and securing it in any one of a number ofpositions to deflect the upper strata of projected fuel downwardly.

JOHN H. ICHTER.

